Rome
Rome watched silently as Alejandro was getting ready; he was clad in his usual black suit, his dark hair gelled back as his pink lips pursed as he tucked his guns into his waistband. The two metal weapons alerting Rome to the nature of this venture. Her green eyes scanning him up and down, her heart thumping in her chest as Alejandro ran his hand over his hair to smooth it over.
"Where did you say you were going again?" She asked.
"There are a few people that need to be taken care of," he stated.
Rome nervously fiddled with the bottom of her shirt, "Okay..... but why do you need to go?" She asked innocently.
This caused Alejandro to give her a small smile, "Allegro needs me— plus I told you I'll be back soon,"
Rome huffed silently, "Can you get hurt?" She asked.
She heard him sigh, "Yes I can."
Rome met his gaze, fear filling her, "Then tell Allegro you're sick," she reasoned.
Alejandro shook his head, "I'll be okay, il mio tesoro," (my treasure)
Rome frowned, as he reached forward to hug her, "What if I just never let you go?"
She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, "Tesoro," he said softly.
Rome wined, "I don't want you to get hurt,"
"I will try my best not too," he kissed her forehead.
"Come on, I'm sure everyone's already downstairs, if it helps you can wait with the girls. They always wait in the living room whenever we leave like this."
Rome nodded, liking the idea as she finally let Alejandro go, his hand quickly grabbed hers as they left their room and made their way towards the common area. They were, in fact, the last ones to get there and Rome sheepishly looked around as she realized all the brothers wore matching attire, with pieces of metal strapped to their suits and Rome gulped feeling her nerves trickle through again.
Allegro kissed his son and Greece before turning his attention to Alejandro who nodded towards him.
"Tesoro, it's time to go."
Rome bit her lip, not wanting to let his hand go. Her gaze drifted away from his and towards Laya and Elliot who were cuddling Alessando as they peppered him in kisses. She watched as they let him go, Dallas doing the same to Arturo before she slowly let his hand go; his warmth slipping away.
"I'll be back as soon as you know it." He said quietly, kissing her forehead.
"In one piece?" She asked.
"One piece," he answered.
~*~
Rome was anxious as she sat beside Greece, her foot tapping against the floor every few minutes as they waited for their return.
"Anyone else really nervous for no reason?" Elliot asked aloud, from his seat on the other side of Rome.
Rome nodded her head frantically which earned a hand squeeze from Greece, "Does it always feel like this when they leave?"
"Pretty much," Dallas sighed.
This sucked, Rome thought ruefully.
She wanted Alejandro back now.
Rome bit her lip, "Nothing usually happens right? They don't come back hurt....."
"I won't lie, Rome," Greece begins, "They don't always come back without blood spilling but they knew what they're doing, they've trained for this and we trust them to make smart decisions. It's not easy to sit on the sidelines while they could be out there hurt but it comes with the relationship,"
Rome nodded, twiddling with her fingers, "Okay,"
Elliot leaned against her, brushing their shoulders quickly to gain her attention, "I know you're worried but knowing Alejandro, but not even the devil could keep him from you, he'll be back soon."
Rome felt her heart lift a bit as she took in Elliot's words and smiled at him grateful he'd said them. Laya who'd been seated on his lap sent her a smile as well before opening her arms for Rome to enter to which she didn't hesitate. Rome refused to let Laya go but had too when she realized how uncomfortable Elliot must have been in the middle of it all. Sheepishly, she smiled at him to but he only shook his head and kissed Laya's forehead.
Four hours.
It had been four hours, two hundred and forty minutes of an unpleasant knot in her stomach until she heard the doors opening and she waited with bated breath as the door opened and Allegro walked through, followed by the rest of the brothers. Rome's eyes took their time surveying Alejandro's body; he was disheveled, not nearly as put together as he was when he left and Rome felt her chest tighten at the blood splatter on his collar and sleeve. His shirt was missing three buttons and his suit jacket was no where to be seen.
His jaw was tight and Rome gulped at the small cut on his lower lip. Her expression pained as his eyes finally met hers and instantly his grey orbs brightened before she slowly walked towards him. He waited for her, and Rome sniffled, her tender heart, still unsure of the severity of his injuries, at least he was standing, she berated herself.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" She asked, "e non mentire!" (and don't lie) she muttered the last part in Italian.
"It's nothing to worry about," he answered.
"Per favore, per favore dimmelo," (Please, please tell me) she whispered.
Alejandro's gaze softened, "On my shoulder, I'm pretty sure there was a gash."
Rome nodded, her hand caressing his cheek, "There's a medicine cabinet in our room, yes,"
Alejandro nodded before Rome grabbed his hand and dragged him towards their room. She turned the lights on, instructing him to sit on the bed.
"Show me where you're hurt," she mumbled.
Alejandro winced, and Rome noticed it instantly as he slid off his shirt. There were tattoos on both his pecs and full length arm tattoos that covered up to both his hands. Rome immediately noticed the blood on his shoulder where a large gash was situated and narrowed her eyes at it, before rushing to get her supplies. She stood in front of him, determination written all over her face as she worked on him, carefully, trying to be as gently as can be.
"How do you know how to do this?" He asked.
This time, she winced, her father had given her a fair share of wounds over the years, wounds that left scars on her body, her back to be exact, where he'd whip her repeatedly. She met Alejandro's gaze, the curiosity and caution made her want to lie and tell him she'd been taught by some woman in the mountains not taught by herself because there was no one to help when she cried herself to sleep at night.
"Rome."
The sound of her real name made her snap out of her head before she recognized the worry on his face, "On many occasions when my father would discipline me, I would have to treat myself,"
Rome saw his jay clench and his breathing halt for a moment, "Where?" He asked, "Where did he?"
"My back, mostly, sometimes my legs or arms or face but mostly my back."
Alejandro grumbled, "I can do the rest," he said suddenly.
"But.... I'm not—"
"I can do the rest!" He snapped, louder this time.
Rome scrambled away from him not bothering to give him a another glance before she walked only the bathroom and shut the door. She stood in front of the mirror, her cheeks red and flustered as she willed herself not to cry. She'd always been this soft hearted, she used to cry for everything when she was younger, much to her fathers delight; he liked seeing her cry, but crying also made her strong and she'd stopped crying in front of Sai, she learnt not to give him what he wanted but Alejandro, Rome couldn't help it.
Was he mad at her?
He shouldn't be mad! She was helping him!
And he was the one who'd asked the questions, she huffed to herself.
She quickly washed her face and stayed cooped up the bathroom before walking back out, her eyes anywhere but on Alejandro. She took her side of the bed and turned her back towards his and tried her best to fall asleep.
~*~
A U T H O R ' S N O T E
hi
new book alert!
as you guys are aware, DIB is coming to an end and in light of that, I've begun thinking about new books & would like to give you guys a short synopsis of
S K U L L S
a biker romance
Evie Benson wanted a fresh start, one that wasn't anywhere near her overbearing mother and thankfully she'd found that in the small town of Oakley. A town, Evie soon discovers is divided into two, by rival motorcycle clubs that were pitted against each other. Suddenly Evie is thrown into the crosshairs when she accidentally disrespects the President of one of said clubs, however, this club's President has no problem 'disciplining' women but thankfully, Evie has a savior, a tall, dark and handsome one.